Friar Ascelin of Lombardy (fl. 1245-1248)

by Sally K. Church (See Chinese translation)

Ascelin of Lombardy, also known by several alternative names, was a 13th-century Dominican friar whom Pope Innocent IV (1243-1254) sent as an ambassador to the Mongols in March 1245. His embassy was one of four sent by the Pope to the Mongols before the First Council of Lyon in March 1245.

According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, Ascelin entered the Dominican Order, probably at Paris, in 1221 or 1222. He was "distinguished for learning" and had "a great zeal for the spread of the Christian faith". He was selected as ambassador in 1245, "together with three other Dominicans". One of these was Simon of Saint Quentin, who wrote the account of the mission in his Historia Tartarorum. Two others are less well known, referred to as Friar Alexander and Friar Albertus in Simon's account. Ascelin also encountered Friar Guichard of Cremone, who had been stationed in Tiflis for five years.

Ascelin met with the Mongol ruler Baiju at his camp in the valley of the Arax River in 1247, having arrived there on 24 May of that year. He announced to Baiju that he was sent by the Pope "to the first army of the Tartars that we could find quickest to exhort the lord of the army and all who obey him to cease henceforth from the slaughter of people and especially Christians", and to "repent for perpetrating outrages or crimes".

Simon of Saint Quentin's Historia Tartarorum was lost, but much of it is preserved in the Speculum Historiale of Vincent of Beauvais. The work gives quite a few details of the encounter between Friar Ascelin and Baiju, which was protracted and acrimonious. A summary of that account, with quotations from Simon's text, is presented as a feature article in this module. Ascelin's mission is often seen as a failure, largely due to his stubborn and inflexible attitude. He brought no gifts for the Mongol leaders, brazenly proclaimed the superiority of the Pope over any human ruler, and refused to perform the usual obeisances to Baiju. This attitude provoked the Mongol leader so much that he and the other friars with him were sentenced to death, a sentence that was held over their heads for the remainder of their visit. Thankfully it was never carried out.

During his mission Ascelin also met Muslim princes, including the uncle of the prince of Aleppo, and the brother of the prince of Mosul, who were on their way to pay their respects to the Khan. They were more flexible about fulfilling Baiju's demands: they presented the expected gifts and performed the required rituals. The princes invited Ascelin to travel further east with them to meet the Great Khan in Karakorum, Mongolia, but he declined.

Ascelin brought two Mongol envoys, Aïbeg and Serkis, back with him to Lyon in 1248, as well as a letter from Baiju to the Pope and a letter from the Great Khan to Baiju. The two Mongol envoys had an audience with the Pope and presented the letter demanding the Pope's submission. In response, the Pope issued the papal bull Viam agnoscere veritatis, appealing to the Mongols to stop killing Christians. The envoys returned to Mongol territory with the Pope's letter on November 22, 1248.